Don't Take Fawns from the Wild

Posted by: Allen Canfield on Mon, 09 June 2003 00:53:33 (920 Reads)

Late May through early June is the peak of white-tailed deer fawning in West Virginia. Throughout this period into July, the Division of Natural Resources receives numerous calls from concerned individuals who pick up fawns thinking they have been abandoned. In most cases, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Female deer will very rarely ever abandon their fawns. A doe has a large investment in her fawns and she will not easily give up the responsibility of caring for them. If you are fortunate enough to encounter a fawn in the wild, do not touch or disturb it; just observe quietly from a distance for a few moments if you wish then leave. The mother is undoubtedly close by and will return to care for the fawn after you depart the area. If you believe a fawn is in imminent danger, such as from vehicles or dogs, use gloves to handle the animal and move it only a short distance away from immediate danger. Then leave it alone. If the fawn is still there after 24 hours, call your county DNR Conservation Officer or a Wildlife Resources Section Office.

Although young fawns look cute because of their size and appearance, they should always be treated as wild animals. Deer fawns, as well as other young wild animals, will exhibit unpredictable behavior when confronted with human contact. This behavior can sometimes result in disastrous consequences for both humans and fawns. Fawns taken from the wild are almost always condemned to a life of captivity away from their natural environment and subject to diseases, digestive disorders from improper feeding and even death. The reality is that people cannot provide the dietary and health needs of a fawn and are a poor substitute for the fawn's real mother.

Finally, another incentive for not picking up fawns is that possession of wildlife during closed seasons is illegal and such violations carry significant penalties, including fines and/or possible jail time. The best advice for both the fawn and the person involved is "leave fawns in the wild where they belong" and, if you know someone who has picked up a fawn, they should immediately "put it back" where they found it. The DNR's Wildlife Resources Section encourages you to enjoy the rebirth of wildlife each year, keeping in mind that captive fawn stories never have happy endings.

**DNR**

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3380 hmurphy@dnr.state.wv.us
Contact: Paul Johansen, Wildlife Resources Section (304) 558-2771 wildlife@dnr.state.wv.us